The Department of Transportation is proposing safety improvements to a busy intersection near P.S. 220 in Forest Hills.

To shorten the distance of the 62-foot-wide crosswalk on 108th Street and the Horace Harding South Service Road for children and seniors, the agency is looking to add a pedestrian safety island.

Currently, there is a 15-foot buffer on the crosswalk separating travel lanes in both directions on 108th Street in front of P.S. 220. The proposed pedestrian safety island would take up nine feet of the current buffer space.

The improvement would not create changes in traffic nor will it eliminate parking spaces.

There have been no fatalities near the crosswalk in recent years, but due to its proximity to the highway and nearby schools, the area is a concern for those in the area.

According to a report by the U.S. Department of Transportation, pedestrian safety islands have decreased pedestrian crashes by 46 percent and reduced vehicle crashes by 39 percent.

The agency identifies 108th Street as a Vision Zero corridor, and the crosswalk itself is located down the road from a Vision Zero intersection at 108th Street and the Horace Harding North Service Road.

In addition to the pedestrian safety island, the DOT wants to conduct a study and later install “Leading Pedestrian Intervals” at both the Horace Harding Expressway North and South Service Roads at 108th Street.

The LPIs give pedestrians a head start of at least seven seconds to cross the street, making them more visible to turning vehicles.